Social StrategiesTo Use Now

Let’s get back to the basics

Brands and agencies reacted quickly to the demands of social media, creating pages and building robust departments to go forth and conquer the internets. When we gather at conferences, war stories are often overheard, swapping tales of the value of social to the C-suite, building teams, making social scalable, measuring ROI and, of course, the breakneck rate of change. Sound familiar?

If you’re feeling a little ‘eek’ in the face of a new year with a fresh brood of strong opinions and “must do” tactics, you’re not alone. One point of conference canteen consensus is that the tactics we come up with today won’t necessarily solve for tomorrow, but we can bet on rapid evolution built upon the original social foundation.

So, we need to go back to the basics. How we receive information is no longer the same and what we do with that information is different too. As agencies and brands, here is what you really need to know:

1: More ears, less fears.

Social is everyone’s game. From CEO to assistant, effective brands should encourage every employee to keep their ear to the ground and their head out of the sand when it comes to tapping social intel.

2: As Taylor says, shake it off… and be authentic already.

Marketing and advertising gets a bad rap. We stylize food and sell vacation dreams and we can’t ignore this aspect of the business. But we can be human too. Hinting at a personality, being humble and copping to our mistakes are a few basics that go a long way.

3: You’re not getting paid for likes.

I’m a data geek and would’ve written this piece in Excel if they’d let me. I’ve uttered the words ‘I love algorithms’ out loud on more than one occasion. Therefore, I’m acutely aware of the tools that assign actions with big numbers and make measuring social easier, but not necessarily better. Old school metrics like impressions and reach limit a social success story’s longevity. Get past buzzwords and get down to the real meaningful connections made between brand and audience.

4: Be nimble, be quick.

It’s not just a saying. Timing IS everything. Your punchline has to be the first one (or at least a close second) at the table to capitalize on a captive audience. Think Arby’s quick-witted Tweet when Pharrell stepped out in that hat at the Grammy’s. Social is always on.

5: Play by the rules.

Attending industry events like IZEAFest and the WOMMA Summit last year made one thing clear – FTC guidelines are all the confusion and all the buzz. As is generally true with all new things in this space, there are both crusaders and opponents. For those thinking ‘yeah, yeah,’ be ready to pony up some cash, cash. It’s been made official that social media is a booming business with regulations to match.

6: Make it personal.

Yes, I’m talking sending someone in particular a message or even old school face-to-face. That’s why messenger apps are on the rise and the Instagrams and Twitters of the world now have direct messaging capabilities or off-line networks like Instameet. It’s these deeper connections that turn your audience into advocates.

Sound pretty basic? Perfect. Maintain your footing with these six simple social strategies that will make ‘16 a solid year for you.